This invention is related to weld joints which are constructed with a pocket to receive droppings or slag from opposed ends of the materials being welded. More particularly, the invention is related to a full penetration weld joint wherein one of the members to be welded is provided with a lip on one side thereof which laps the adjacent edge portion of the other member. In this joint a pocket in the form of a groove is formed in the first member at the juncture of the edge to be welded and the lip for catching weld droppings, slag and other material when the joint is welded.
Numerous kinds of butt weld joints are known in the prior art for joining two members together. Some of these weld joints are provided with a lip on one member to rest against the other member for purposes of alignment and strength. In the art it is known to form a pocket in this type of joint at the juncture of the lip and the edge which is to be welded. However, in the art the pockets known heretofore are difficult to form due to complicated machining necessary to achieve a suitable pocketed shape. The known pockets are generally cross-sectionally rectangular and in some cases have an arcuate portion in the portion below or underneath the surface to be welded. Forming a pocket of this type requires at least one pass of a cutting machine to notch the lip adjacent to the end surface to be welded and at least one additional pass of the machine to form the portion of the notch which is underneath or undercuts the surface to be welded. Basically, it is not desirable to form pockets in this manner because of the expense and time involved in setting up a machine to make the several cuts, and the skill and technique required by an operator to make the cuts while at the same time maintaining tolerances within acceptable limits.